Date Night
by SkinnyLittleLesbian
Summary: In which Ruby is on a date with Belle and sees something odd. Swan Queen. Red Beauty


When Belle laced their fingers together, Ruby thought her heart was going to explode – it thrummed much faster than should have been humanly possible and she seriously worried about the wellbeing of her ribcage. It only got worse when the quirky librarian smiled at her.

"Is something wrong?"

Ruby just clenched her fingers tighter and gave the other woman a shaky smile. "I can't believe you want to see this – it got horrible reviews."

"I liked the book."

"Yeah, well, movies here aren't much like their literary bases."

Belle's thumb rubbed a circle against her skin. "In that case, I'm just happy to be with you."

Ruby's cheeks flooded with color. "I wanted to say – thank you. For giving me a chance, y'know? I – I know you've had a few – uh – rough patches? In the past, I mean. Romantically speaking."

"You're usually so glib." Belle laughed.

Usually there wasn't such pressure on her, Ruby moaned silently. Usually she was just trying to charm a few extra bucks in tip money – not woo someone as gentle, kind, and forgiving as the woman beside her.

"I won't lie. I'm – a…" Ruby cleared her throat. "I'm not always very nice. But I wanted to tell you – that I want to be good – for you. To you."

"You're cute."

"Popcorn?" Ruby's voice was steady, but her innards were tying themselves in pretty little bows.

"I don't need anything."

"I know, but did you want some?"

Belle placed her hand on the crook of Ruby's elbow and leaned in closer. "Sweet of you, but no."

Ruby practically floated into the theater and led Belle to the seats she claimed were the best in the house – those along the very back. "You can't prop your feet up on a bar or anything, but you also don't get people kicking your seat."

"I trust you."

Their hands were still linked. Ruby gnawed on her lower lip as the theater's commercials played in the minutes before the lights went down and the trailers started. She wanted the evening to be perfect, but she wouldn't complain if this was as far as it went. The feeling of Belle's hand on hers made her feel complete.

"Is that Emma?" Belle broke the comfortable silence. "The Sheriff, I mean."

Ruby watched Emma step into the theater –the blonde scanned the seats as if looking for someone, and Belle waved her hands enthusiastically to get Emma's attention. What a twat-swat, Ruby thought as she plastered a fake smile on.

"Em, wouldn't have thought you'd be interested in a movie like this."

"Oh." Emma shifted uncomfortably. "Well. Yeah. I guess it sort of is."

"You looking for someone?"

"Yes – well, no – actually, not really. Just. You know – looking for a friendly face."

"Would you like to sit with us?" Belle smiled at her, but Emma hemmed and hawed.

"Yeah, sure. I guess. Uh, thanks." Emma shifted across the seats and sat next to Ruby. She spent the rest of the evening twitching, her leg bouncing with energy and her eyes rarely on the screen. She sprang to her feet the moment the credits began to roll and sprinted away.

Slower to leave the theater, a certain brunette stood up from a seat in the sixth row. Ruby watched the mayor with narrowed eyes.

0-0-0

"Don't linger in the doorway."

Emma stepped obediently inside. "Look, I didn't know they'd be there."

"Of course not."

"I would have chosen something else, okay?"

"Perhaps this is a poorly thought out idea." Regina's grip on her tumbler of cider tightened. "Did we really think we could sneak about with no one the wiser?"

"I dunno… But isn't it worth another try?"

Regina's eyes were hard. "We should quit while we are ahead, Ms. Swan."

"Emma."

"Regardless of your name preference, this has to end. I must have been drugged to even consider-"

Emma slipped up against her. "Be quiet for once?"

"Ms. Swan!"

The blonde's fingertips wiggled against Regina's sides and the mayor let out a squawk of undignified laughter. She jerked away, but Emma followed quickly after. They stumbled around the study, laughing and nearly tripping, until Emma had her backed against a wall.

"You like me because you like to laugh."

"I don't like you at all."

Emma ran her hands over Regina's tense arms. "I'm sorry this didn't go right. But I'd rather sneak around and see you here than not have you at all. I guess – I shouldn't have pressured you to make this public."

"They wouldn't understand."

"Who cares? And before you say anything, let me remind you that I don't care."

"Well, when you state your argument so succinctly –"

"Regina." Emma pulled her away from the wall and wrapped her in a hug. It was far from the intimate embraces they'd shared previously, but there seemed to be something unique about this moment. Regina leaned against her and simply accepted the innocent contact. "If you want this to be just us for now, that's okay."

"You won't be happy."

"Let me worry about my happiness."

"That's what makes this awful." Regina buried her nose into Emma's neck. "I can't help but want to attend to yours."

Though Emma wasn't used to this affectionate side of the aggressive woman, she was content to stand motionless together until the magic of their moment was broken. Quite honestly, she wished it never was.

0-0-0

"Do you think they're together?" Ruby wanted an answer, but her eyes were more concerned with the way Belle sucked her lower lip between her teeth.

"This is really bothering you, isn't it?"

"Well, Snow is my best friend. That's her daughter, y'know?"

"Everyone deserves happiness, Ruby. Love is redemption."

Ruby wanted to kiss her, but could do nothing more than shift closer. "I'd like it if you saved me."

Taking pity on the woman so keen on respecting her boundaries and allowing things to move slowly, Belle kissed her.


End file.
